Customer Reviews

A One of a Kind Love Affair: The Anthology

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love the Spinners; I have for most of my life. They are second only to the Stylistics as my favorite vocal group of all time. And so, happy was I the day I happened to run into this collection, by far the finest ever done on this, one of the definitive groups of the entire Philly Soul subgenre.

What distinguishes this collection from all which come before it (and I've seen 'em all) are three things: Length--this collects more than twice the songs of any of the previous collections; The extensive liner notes, which not only give the listener a strong grounding in the history and development of this group, the turbulent musical struggles they went through, and how each coped with their subsequent success (for good or ill), but also treat each song as an individual entity worthy of careful scrutiny. Details such as date of recording (when known) are given for each song (I had never known that the first song I ever learned by heart was recorded at the same session as my favorite Spinners song...!) Most importantly, this compilation presents each song *in its entirety.* No editing, no cutting for time, no you-know-what. The listener may find himself discovering for the first time that his favorite Spinners tune is nearly twice as long as he thought--and what a pleasant discovery that is! Even more pleasant are a couple of gems--songs like "(Oh, Lord) I Wish I Could Sleep," which had never been released until this collection. Had the previously mentioned song *been* released, I think The Spinners would have entered their period of nonstop hits a year earlier.

Yet, for all this, the compilation is less than perfect; less than definitive, and the sole reason for this is the significant songs which were omitted, shining gems from their more lackluster early days like "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music," "Can Sing a Rainbow/Love is Blue," their version of the Five Stairsteps smash "O-O-H Child," and the poignant "In My Diary," and others. But I will never understand (or forgive) the omission of one of their later chart-toppers, "Cupid/I've Loved You For a Long Time," which is not present, despite being mentioned in the liner notes!

But don't let that small flaw stop you from buying this collection. It is simply the only "must-have" collection for the Spinners fan.

I've always been one for giving credit where it's due...and in the case of THE SPINNERS, one person always gets way TOO MUCH, and another doesn't get NEARLY ENOUGH.That person is the fantastic BOBBIE SMITH. BOBBIE has been the REAL LEAD SINGER OF THE SPINNERS FROM DAY ONE !!! He sang lead on the SPINNERS VERY FIRST HIT BACK IN 1961... ( That's What Girls Are Made For )...and also their first million seller ( "I'll Be Around" ). In between ,he lead virtually ALL of their PRE MOTOWN HITS ("Too Young, Too Much, Too Soon","What Did She Use " ,etc.)and such MOTOWN CLASSICS AS "TRULY YOURS" (my favorite SPINNERS song },"I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU "(the group's second biggest Motown hit} ,"SWEET THING",AND TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE SUCH SWEET MUSIC "("IT'S A SHAME WAS LED BY G.C. CAMERON,who couldn't go with the group when they went to ATLANTIC,because he was still under contract to MOTOWN). And SMITH also led THEIR BIGGEST ATLANTIC HITS "COULD IT BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE " ,"GAMES PEOPLE PLAY ","MIGHTY LOVE",(a shared lead} and "THEN CAME YOU"...Yet , Bobbie get's VIRTUALLY NO CREDIT FOR HIS PART IN THE SPINNERS' SUCCESS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS..AND NEVER HAS !! In newspaper & magazine articles, music history books , even in ATLANTIC RECORDS own liner notes... all the credit goes to PHLLIP WALKER {aka PHILLIPPE WYNNE )!! Some music writers have even gone so far as to credit Phillippe for songs BOBBIE ACTUALLY SANG LEAD ON!! While I don't take anything away from Phillippe (he was a fantastic singer & dancer ), the REALITY is that his initial single with the SPINNERS, "HOW COULD I LET YOU GET AWAY"(which he sang lead on), ONLY REACHED #77 ON THE BILLBOARD pop chart! It was only after the nations' disc jockeys TURNED THE RECORD OVER TO IT'S FLIP SIDE,"I'LL BE AROUND" which BOBBIE SMITH sang lead on,(and that producer THOM BELL has said was SUPPOSED to have been the original "A" side in the FIRST place) , that the group had it's FIRST MILLION SELLER !! BOBBIE ALSO SANG LEAD ON THE GROUP'S SECOND MILLION SELLER, " COULD IT BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE ".By the time their 1st ATLANTIC ALBUM'S 3rd single , the WYNNE- lead "ONE OF A KIND LOVE AFFAIR" came out, (which also sold a million ),the two SMITH -LED SONGS had already established the SPINNERS as SUPERSTARS,and propelled the sales of that album to GOLD RECORD STATUS. The fact is that while PHILLIPE was hopping and skipping across the stage,driving audiences wild ,it was BOBBIE SMITH that was selling all the records,WYNNE having led on only one other million seller,the fun and funny novelty song "RUBBERBAND MAN "(Most of the WYNNE-led tunes were bigger on the R&B charts than on the POP. BOBBIE also sang lead (with DIONNE WARWICK}, on the million-selling # 1 smash,"THEN CAME YOU", and another million seller "GAMES PEOPLE PLAY".(Can you believe MOTOWN rejected his voice ? BIG MISTAKE !!) However , Wynne's powerful performance of "I COULD NEVER REPAY YOUR LOVE " was also a highlight of their INCREDIBLE FIRST ATLANTIC ALBUM,many radio stations having played the song right off the album.Sadly, Wynne's DAVID RUFFIN-LIKE attitude , demanding TOP BILLING, and causing turmoil within the group, and with their producer,THOM BELL,threatened to tear the SPINNERS apart. But the SPINNERS existed long before PHILLIPPE WYNNE,and they still exist today.....And,GUESS WHAT? BOBBIE SMITH is still their lead singer.It's time HE got the credit he deserves.

If you like the Spinners and the 70's soul sound, this is the definitive album. It takes you through the early days of the group with the fiery "It's a Shame" to their glory days with the bestsellers "Could it be I'm falling in Love," "One of a Kind, Love Affair," and "Then Came You." Don't miss Phillpe Wynn's great improvisations of Al Green, Sam Cooke and Wilson Pickett on the album's lone live track: "How Could I Let You Get Away." And the late Wynne cuts loose on "Mighty Love" and "I'm Coming Home." Just a phenomenal album from a highly underrated group. The Temptations are great, but not any better than the Spinners. Take a break from the Motown and test out the Detroit/Philly sound of the Spinners, and perhaps the best soul producer of all time in Thom Bell.

First, I would like to say that I loved this group and I think that this was a great group and I really do like their music I used to like to see them dress alike and dance. Just like The Temptations this was a great group they had style, class, they could dance, together well, and dance very good what a group there aren't too many more groups around like The Spinners anymore I love this group and I love this album this album contains some nice pictures and also I have to give my props to Phillippe Wynne who has passed about 20 years ago may he R.I.P. he was the lead singer and he did a fine job this was a part of Funkadelic w/ George Clinton he showed how he could do funk as well as Rhythm and Blues . I love when he sings w/ George Clinton on the song"Freak of the Week" he sings the part I have ants in my pants and I need to dance so therefore this man was able to do funk and soul so he was multi-talented!!!
My favorites songs on here are of course one of their trademark songs"Sadie", The Rubberband Man, It's a shame, Working My Way Back to You , and many great others. Too bad Cupid isn't on here they had did a great re-make from Sam Cooke's version but overall this is a good cd and I would reccommend anyone who likes the Spinners or old skool R&B!!!!!

I agree with the earlier reviewer regarding Philippe' Wynne's masterful adlibbing. Other than Ella Fitzgerald there was not another artist whose improvisation was pure joy to hear. Check him out on the hits "Mighty Love," "I'm Coming Home," "Sadie," "Then Came You," and the group's most unusual choice of material "The Rubberband Man."

He was truly unique and what soul music is all about!

I can't think of anything wrong with this set.The song selection is excellent,the sound quality is superb.The liner notes are...you get the ideal! It's just that good.Just look at the song listing and keep in mind that all these songs are in their full length/album versions.No chippy choppy single/radio edits here.If Phillipe Wynne was alive now,he'd even say "Damn! We were bad weren't we?" Thanks to Rhino records for showing yet again how a complation should be done.

If you are a Spinners nut like I am, you will be very satisfied with this cd. Even though a couple of songs I would have added does not appear( Cupid and a beautiful song called Just to be with you) I strongly recommend this anthology of hits. This group I feel was very under rated and almost got lost in the Motown experience. This is a group that should be ranked up there with the temptations, Four Tops and the Dells. Also Phillipe Wynne is one of the most soulful and talented singers ever. I am so sorry we could not enjoy him a little longer, RIP. I also enjoyed reading the background on them and their past and last lead singers. This is an awesome cd, so I suggest you go out and get it for your musical library.

Although there is nothing much new in this compilation it serves as a timely reminder of perhaps the most underrated of all RnB stars - the late great Phillipe Wynne-master of the ad lib, an unbelievable range, an ability to mesmerize his audience with his timing and elegance and - oooooooooh - those fades. Built up through the simplest of Thom Bell melodies and lyrics, his influence on the other members of the Spinners produced, in my view, the essence of the best of Philly groups in the 1970s ranking alongside the O'Jays and Teddy Pendergrass', Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.

Love Dont Love Nobody is perhaps the pinnacle of Wynne's talent. Timeless- it has for me been in my top three songs of all time over the past 25 years and I hope that the release of this album will help to convince a far wider audience of Phillipe's greatness.

This original has it all. For any fan of The Spinners and people who just like great music. From Sadie to Rubberband Man you won't find any group as together and addictive as The Spinners. This album has all of their best. It could even be called the best of the best. You can't beat Pervis' bass, and the harmonies. Too bad they don't have a DVD of this. If you close your eyes you can see the smooth moves that went with these classic songs. If you don't have any other albums by this group then you need this one. It is too bad that this generation won't have groups that compare to The Spinners. If you have a teenager and you want them to listen to some "real" music sit them down and let them listen to this. It won't take long and you all will be up and dancing to these classics, whether it is cheek to cheek or doing some of the old things like the hustle and the bump. Remember those days?! This is a fun album and I bet you will remember where you were when you first heard some of these songs. You can't help but smile.

the Spinners were a Very Soulful Group.Philippe Wynne added so much Emotion&Depth to there already Rich Harmonys&Vibe."Games People Play","Could it Be I'm Falling in Love with you", "Sadie",etc.. are Reminders of How Special this Group was.there Songs still Sound so Fresh&On time.